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Saddam Judge Resigns, Pressed to Backtrack
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Amin
reportedly resigned to protest government criticism to his
handling of the trial. (Reuters)
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BAGHDAD, January 15, 2006 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Pressure
is mounting on the Iraqi judge presiding over the trial of ousted
president Saddam Hussein to backtrack on his decision to resign in the
face of government criticism of his handling of the case.
"Judge
Rizkar Mohammed Amin, the president of first criminal court, resigned
for personal reasons, and not because of government pressure,"
the Iraqi High Tribunal said in a statement cited by Agence
France-Presse (AFP).
"The
cabinet has not yet ruled on his resignation," it added.
A
spokeswoman for the office of Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari, who is
currently out of the country, has confirmed that his chief of staff
received Amin's letter of resignation a few days ago.
An
official close to the court had earlier said Amin submitted his
resignation on January 10.
The
judge wanted to resign because of strong government criticism at the
way he has allowed Saddam and his seven co-defendants to speak out in
court, the official said.
The
resignation must be accepted by the president of the three-chamber
tribunal and Iraq's cabinet.
Tribunal
rules specify that a judge must submit his resignation to Jamal
Mustafa, president of the three-chambered tribunal, who then passes it
to the cabinet.
If
accepted, Amin will become the second judge on the five-strong panel
trying Saddam to quit since the trial began on October 19.
Amin,
a Kurd, is the only judge in the Saddam trial who has allowed himself
to be identified in court and shown on television when the court is in
session.
The
other four remain anonymous for fear of reprisals for taking part in
the high-profile case.
Two
defense lawyers were shot dead shortly after the opening of the trial.
Pressures
Others
judges from the tribunal and government representatives have traveled
to Amin's home city of Sulaimaniyah in the Kurdish north to persuade
him to reconsider his decision.
"Efforts
are underway to try to get him to change his mind," an official
close to the tribunal told AFP on condition of anonymity.
A
source close to the Kurdish judge told Reuters that tribunal officials
were trying to talk him out of his decision.
"He
tendered his resignation to the court a few days ago but the court
rejected it. Now talks are under way to convince him to go back on his
decision.
A
government delegation was also attempting to convince the Kurdish
judge to change his decision.
"The
government has sent a delegation to see him because they are afraid of
the damage this will do to the credibility of the tribunal," one
of the prosecutors in the trial, Mumkidh Taklif Al-Fatlawi, told
Reuters.
Protest
Amin's
resignation comes in protest of government criticism to his handling
of the trial, according to Reuters.
"He's
under a lot of pressure, the whole court is under political
pressure," a source close to the Kurdish judge said.
"He
had complaints from the government that he was being too soft in
dealing with Saddam. They want things to go faster."
The
last straw, the source said, was a letter criticizing his handling of
the trial from Shiite leader Moqtada Al-Sadr, whose group joined the
ruling Shiite coalition in the recent general elections which will
determine the future government.
Amin
has been criticized for allowing what critics see as theatrics by the
defense counsels and the co-accused.
But
supporters say the Kurdish judge has sought to give the defendants,
who face a possible death penalty, as much leeway as possible in a bid
to ensure the process is seen as fair.
"It
is notable that the judge has succeeded in getting (the defendants) to
address the issues in the case to greater degree," said Nehal
Bhuta of Human Rights Watch, noting that most of the comments by
defendants in the past sessions at least pertained to the testimony.
But
"the court does need to manage this better, to reduce exchanges
of insults or shouting at witnesses and to keep the defendants to the
point," he added.
Saddam's
leading defense counsel, Khalil Dulaimi, welcomed the news of Amin's
resignation offer, but said it made no difference to the case.
"For
the defense team, it makes no difference whether this judge stays or
goes, because in spite of our respect for his ethics, we do not
recognize the legality of the court".
The
eight men are charged with ordering the massacre of more than 140
Shiites from the town of Dujail
following a 1982 assassination attempt on Saddam.
The
next hearing in the case is scheduled for January 24.
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